Revenge on Opacity
by MuddyWolf
Summary: Meta Knight wants revenge on Wheelie for aiding Kirby in escaping his stronghold, and will stop at nothing to destroy that one Wheelie. Lame, but my first attempt at a Kirby fic. A bit too short.
1. Default Chapter Title

Legal Stuff: Kirby, Wheelie, Meta Knight, and all characters, places,  
etc. relating to Kirby are copyright to Nintendo? and Hal something.  
Was it Laboratory? Or..something else? Oh, well. Ameteur, nonprofit,  
you know the rest. This is my first and my lamest attempt at anything  
so far, much less attempting a Kirby fanfiction. Here goes.  
started: 12/10/00 finished: 12/11/00   
Rated: PG  
  
Revenge on Opacity  
  
by Blue9Tiger  
  
In even the most tranquil of societies or unscarred of lands there  
were human faults. These impurities led to havoc and terror, death and  
annhilation. However, the land about to be described was not populated  
by humans, but solely by creatures ranging from as tiny as a bag of  
marshmallows to as large as an automobile. This area could not be   
pinpointed by modern machinery: it existed in an untouchable realm of  
time and space: on another planet, near a distant star. Travellers that  
caught a glimpse of that awe-inspiring system thought that they were  
in a realistic dream, surreal yet believable. Thus, it was named   
Dreamland by both its inhabitants and outsiders.  
Though Dreamland boasted crystal seas, dense, thick forests that was  
the home for landbound natives, high mountain-tops in the shade of   
pink, active volcanoes that could be set off by breathing on the area that triggered it,  
attractive names such as "Grape Garden", or "Orange Ocean", and the possibly an overabundance of  
food, this realm of perfection had it's share of problems.   
It had two main antagonists, their origins unknown: King Dedede and Meta Knight. They operated individually, since  
collaborating for a common purpose was too much to ask from them. King Dedede was more known,  
having combated the champion of Dreamland: Kirby, a tiny pink-colored boy with red shoes.  
He lost each time, but was persistent in either taking the populace's food or attempting to   
crush Kirby with his oversized mallet. Of the two enemies of Dreamland, he was the one to worry  
less about.  
On the other hand, Meta Knight was a militant, masked, mayhem waiting to happen. He was an  
expert swordsman, which was his primary weapon. During one of his attempts at attacking   
Dreamland, he confronted Kirby, who was also weilding a sword. Despite his great efforts, he  
suffered a humiliating defeat, and his airship Halberd sunk into the sea. Beneat the mask he  
wore stood an expressionless dark violet face, and his eyes were white and tiny. But this face  
did not intimidate, so he wore a mask to hide his soft features.  
Usually when a persevering one is defeated, he'll figure out what went wrong, and what he   
could alter to prevent the opposing side to take the oppurtunity to repeat history. In his dark,  
cold lair, Meta Knight plotted alone, a Waddle Dee wearing a navy cap mopping the floors. He  
listened timidly to his master speaking to himself, and crouched lower as he dove deeper into   
this conversation with the soul.  
"Kirby won again! It's inconcievable! What did I do wrong?! That little boy does it again over  
and over! If his strategy's heroism, then I laugh! Hah! It's not over...I'll fight him again.  
But HOW did he do it?! How could he beat me by my own sword?! And how he escaped----next time  
we meet...he WON'T escape! There was something he rode on--it was a Wheelie!"  
Meta Knight closed his conversation, throwing his sword down, continuing to yell. "A WHEELIE!  
A WHEELIE aided him!"  
The violet creature whirled upon the red one mopping the floor. "WADDLE DEE!" he bellowed,  
making the lower rank drop his mop, the water spilling onto the metallic floor.   
"Y-y-yes, Sir Meta Knight?" he asked meekly.  
"Find all the Wheelies in Dreamland! Bring them here!"  
"Uh.....but won't they recognize me with my hat?"  
"You're right! At ease. Here's a parasol," Meta Knight answered tersely, handing his minion  
a red-and-white smaller version of an umbrella. However, Waddle Dee had no idea of its purpose.  
"Thanks, Sir Meta knight! What'll it do?"  
"YOU'RE NOW PARASOL WADDLE DEE! NOW GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!"  
  
Waddle Dee opened his parasol, and shot out of the room, fearing that his superior would  
take back the parasol and give him the sword.  
  
Each specie of Dreamlander lived in harmony with each other, or fought wildly. Sometimes both  
was done. The amoun and number of specie was horrendous: there were Kirby, Poppy Brothers Junior,  
Poppy Brother's Senior, Waddle Doo, Waddle Dee, Chilly, Burnin' Leo, Simirror, Rocky,  
and unnamed ones: jellyfish, star-chucking pandas, sucking flowers, jumping birds, spiky clouds,  
dancing mushrooms, flying chickens, and fat cats. But the most unusual of all the Dreamland   
inhabitants was Wheelie.  
  
Unlike the other ones that were colored brightly, Wheelies' colors were black and white,  
making them appear to be a wheel, hence their name. They were very hostile to all others,   
especially Kirbys. They ran them down shooting from nowhere, without second thought and without  
conscience. That was why Meta Knight was so astounded that the offending Kirby had recieved help  
from a Wheelie, and unbeknowst to him, Kirby was unaware of the Wheelie's identity.   
  
They lived in packs around either heavy machinery or wide spaces, content to force itself   
upon a rival creature. They did not need much food to stay alive: only the freedom of open areas  
and flat terrain. They did not fear many things, but had a terrible phobia of sharp objects  
that would cause them to become flat, and just minutes after becoming flat, the air, their   
energy, would leak out of their rubber skin, and die.  
  
The increasing sound of the shaking din of tires impacting against the road roared in Kirby's ears. He seemed  
surprised, not expecting to find any form of noise out in the far reaches of Bubbly Clouds. This  
area was known for the solidified home of precipitation, that were hard enough to walk upon.   
At this area of Bubbly Clouds, there were only the black cannons, that were now dormant.   
He shifted his eyes toward the source of vibrations, and identified the cause.  
  
"Kirby, get 'outta our way!"  
  
"Huh?" The pink boy blinked, and stayed in his position. He saw the Wheelie he had befriended  
rocketeing towards him at unfathomable speeds, but held his ground. He thought he could hear more  
tires behind the front one announcing their arrival. The front Wheelie's eyes narrowed   
dangerously, and repeated,  
  
"Get 'outta our way!"  
  
Kirby blinked again in a quizzical manner, and continued to stand on the cloud. He saw no reason that would  
prompt Wheelie and his pack to go on a rampage like this. Being curious, Kirby asked bluntly,  
  
"Why?"  
  
Wheelies were known for their short tempers, and the black tire was not hesitant to manifest  
that temper and hold up his clan's reputation.  
  
"Get your fluffy pink ass off the road or we'll run ya over!"  
  
"Gee. Okay, if you're that desperate....." he answered, stepping aside to let the pack of  
Wheelie scream through the clouds to escape their pursuer, or possibly to simply cause trouble  
and add unnecessary commotion. Then he saw the cause of the trouble: a group of Parasol W. Dees.  
And in Bubbly Clouds, the red creatures were known to chase any sort of Dreamlander regardless  
of ability or type, in hopes of reaching a cliff and testing their parasols. It was their ritual,  
and because it was natural and expected, Kirby didn't object to it. However, what would happen  
next would send him on yet another adventure, but instead of finding stolen food, defending the  
lives of a clan that was despised by the rest of his own specie.  
  
The Waddle Dee continued to pursue the Wheelies, and one of the former had gained the lead, and  
had overtaken one Wheelie, trapping it with his parasol. That Wheelie was a young one, and   
losing air at that. Kirby opened his mouth to protest against this, but was trampled underfoot  
by the stampede of Waddle Dee that left an imprint in the clouds.  
  
"Ow-----oww-----oww-----owww!"  
  
As Kirby was rendered incapacitated by the Parasol W. Dee, he could hear the desperate cries   
of Wheelies being trapped by parasols. As we have already stated, the black tires' greatest fear  
was being confined to a small space, and because of this, fought valiantly against their captors,  
regardless of age of condition. But the Wheelies, though they had the advantage in numbers, the  
red creatures had the good fortune to be born with a parasol from birth. That is what   
characterized them the most: parasols. Without them, they were known as simply Waddle Dees. But  
the parasols, besides an efficient weapon, were used as status for their name. A Waddle Dee   
without a parasol ranked lower in the social ladder than one who carried one.   
  
Wheelies, on the other hand, had no additional weapons, and relied on the weight and force  
of their bodies to crush their opponents. This prodigous physical strength was also attributed  
to their violent reputation.  
  
"Stop taking those Wheelies, or I'll chew you up and spit you back out!"  
  
The reddest Waddle Dee faced Kirby, and taunted,  
  
"Says who, marshmallow?!"  
  
Kirby said no more, and inhaled Waddle Dee, who was somehow not surprised at that occurence.  
To defeat their enemies, Kirbies had a knack for inhaling their enemies and spitting them out  
in the form of shooting stars.   
  
"Hey-what're you doing? Spit me out!"  
  
Kirby obliged his enemy, and rejected the parasol-weilding creature from his mouth. But in  
return for doing that, he asked gravely,  
  
"Why are you taking the Wheelies?"  
  
"Listen...Kirby..I'm a no-talent Waddle Dee!" he answered in a more or less polite tone,  
setting down his parasol, that bulged from the great amount of Wheelies trapped within it. He   
patted the parasol gently, hoping to reduce the vibrations coming from between its sides, and   
saluted. "I'm only one of Sir Meta Knight's legmen. If I want to keep my head on my feet I do  
what he says."  
  
The other folded his ridiculously short arms and frowned skeptically. It was obvious that he  
didn't trust his enemy.  
  
"I know you're lying, Waddle Dee!"  
  
With that, he inhaled a passing Poppy Brothers Junior and swallowed him. It was a cruel   
tactic, but nonetheless effective for fighting. Now having eaten the bomb-hurling inhabitant,  
Kirby, using his Copy ability, that allowed him to use the talents of the things that he   
swallowed. could make weak bombs from nearly nothing and attack the opponent. However, if the   
opponent distracted Kirby while the latter was holding the bomb, it could detonate on him.  
However, this Kirby was an expert at both eating and fighting.  
  
Waddle Dee attempted the first move. He took up his Wheelie-stuffed parasol, took a flying  
leap from atop Kirby's head, high enough so that he could position the umbrella and dive-bomb  
the foe. With the extra weight of the parasol, he impacted, and Kirby was thrown into a random  
direction, fazed.  
  
"Hahaha! I'm good for something!"  
  
"You're good-for-nothing!" Kirby countered, as he hurled a bomb in Waddle Dee's direction.  
It detonated with a dull "boom", but did so with enough force to send Waddle Dee careening   
backwards, straight into the parasol. Shooting projectiles caused a lot of damage in Dreamland,  
and this was no exception. The impact of skin against hard fabric ripped apart the seams of the  
parasol, exposing a hole large enough for the pack to escape. Waddle Dee was understandably  
upset, and looked close to crying. "Oh, no..Sir Meta Knight won't be happy........bye!" he   
finished rather lamely, speeding away as fast as his short legs could carry him.  
  
Kirby smiled in satisfaction, but the lack of tension soon faded, and he whirled on the  
Wheelie that had told him to stand aside. He addressed him gravely, almost harshly, feeling   
that the whole truth had not come out yet. Waddle Dee had not come just for a social call.  
He and whoever had ordered him to tire-nap the Wheelies meant business. But Waddle Dee had   
already explained, and Kirby did not believe him. But now he was left with little choice as to  
believe him or not. If there was a threat to Dreamland, or more specifically, the entire   
population of Wheelies, he had to know, and had to put a stop to it before the matter's course  
became irreversable.  
  
"Okay, Wheelie! What was that about?"  
  
"What, Kirby? It's done now."  
  
"No! Waddle Dee going after the Wheelies! Why you?"  
  
Wheelie lowered his eyes, and they darted to the side, trying to catch a glimpse of the other  
members of his clan, but they had all zipped into the horizon, and he was alone with this pink  
outsider that was interrogating him. Like locked in the parasol, he was trapped in a corner,   
with nowhere to speed off to. But to not answer Kirby would mean getting swallowed, and he did   
not want that. Once one was swallowed, it could either be spat out, digested, or, in terms of  
its abilities, be shared, and possibly become itself. But the ones with no special attacks   
had no hope of surviving, and were simply digested.   
  
"You saved Dreamland a couple years ago..."  
  
"From who? Or what?" the other asked, somewhat impatiently. He was a busy boy, and didn't   
have any time to talk for long.  
  
"Meta Knight."   
  
The words he whispered, but were like an explosion in Kirby's nonexistent ear. It sudeenly   
dawned on him that Waddle Dee was telling the truth. He had been sent by one of his greatest  
enemies. Now it was imperative that Kirby find out why the Wheelie were supposed to be captured.  
His sword-weilding nemesis wouldn't be doing that simply to terrorize.  
  
"Why's he after you though?"  
  
"I saved your ass, remember?! Don't tell me you don't!"  
  
"You're the Wheelie that--I didn't know! Thanks, pal!"  
  
The other closed his eyes, not letting a positive comment brighten his spirits, and snapped  
viciously,  
  
"Ya don't have to get all mushy on me!"  
  
"So he wants revenge on you...but why steal all Wheelies?"  
  
"Face it, fluff, we all look the same!"  
  
"Yeah...so he'll capture all the Wheelies? What'll he do with the one he wants revenge on?"  
  
The black tire was silent, and began rolling back and forth aimlessly, trying to ease his  
restless nerves. Kirby could see that his friend was nervous, but knew that he would have to   
state the truth, because that represented the possible consequence. "He'll stick you with his   
sword."  
  
At that mention of the feared weapon, Wheelie stopped pacing, and started to jump up and   
down in terror. His tough outer image suddenly fell, and he became like a newborn tire, yelping  
and pleading and erasing whatever opinion Kirby had had of him in the past.  
  
"Please don't let them do that! I'm too new to die!"  
  
The pink boy nodded, and attatched a saddle to Wheelie's back. Because this was about his   
life, the tire did not resist, and Kirby was able to mount him without trouble. He adjusted   
some goggles he used for riding wheels, and pointed to the cloud-covered horizon:  
  
"We have to get far away from Waddle Dee! To the Warp Star!"  
  
The metallic door of Meta Knight's central room swung open, its hinges creaking, a little red  
creature with a tan face walking in. An enormous sweatdrop hung from his head, and he was   
shaking from his head to his feet, which were only a few inches apart.   
  
"I see you failed."  
  
The terrified minion nodded, covering his eyes. The sight of Meta Knight's mask, and due to   
ignorance, led him to believe was his real face, tranfixed him with horror. He was now longer   
shaking, but paralyzed in fear. However, instead of slicing him apart with his gleaming sword,  
Waddle Dee's superior strode to a set of violet curtains, and pulled the first open.   
Out of it walked a small thing the size of Waddle Dee. It was scarlet, with one large eye that   
could shoot high-energy electrical beams. From its head grew some hair, and like Waddle Dee,  
could hold a parasol. The latter identified the newcomer as the famed   
Waddle Doo. "Your cousin will distract Kirby with his beam......" He opened another curtain,  
a white snowman sliding out. "Chilly will freeze Wheelie..." The last curtain was drawn,   
revealing a rounded stone wearing a rope around its head. "..and Rocky will bring it here. And  
you........" he continued, staring straight into Waddle Dee's tiny eyes.  
  
"Y=y=yes, Sir Meta Knight?"  
  
"I've found a way to identify the one Wheelie we want----it's the only Wheelie that can be  
equipped with a saddle..and it has a red eye."  
  
"H-how d-did you f-figure out that, SIr Meta Knight?"  
  
"Your cousin has a security camera implanted in his eye. Very useful. Now go pick out that  
Wheelie! It's not necessary to get the whole population, so your job will be easy."  
  
Waddle Dee saluted, and shot out of the metallic room, Chilly, Waddle Doo, and Rocky on his   
heels.  
  
The Warp Star was a mysterious means of travel that were scattered around Dreamland. They  
were very large and visible from a distance, but were guarded by the local populace. Since   
Kirby was one of the few ones that could use the Warp Star, they defended it violently, hoping  
to hinder his progress, usually just out of spite. This special star flew on a--if you will,  
programmed path at very high speeds, and it easily crashed into enemies and sent them to   
oblivion. In the more limited reaches of Dreamland, there was one star in every area: Green   
Greens, Float Islands, Bubbly Clouds, and one near King Dedede's Castle. After that, they were  
more scarce, but usually vital for crossing a particularly dangerous area. Though Dreamland was  
a pristine place, it was riddled with active volcanoes, solid lava that continued to burn,  
sharp metallic spikes that somehow occured naturally, and deep pits that stretched from the  
edge to what couldn't be seen.  
"There's the Warp Star!" cried Kirby. "Just a few more seconds!"  
"Hold it!" shouted a voice, that sent Wheelie off course and into a tree.  
"DAMN IT!"   
Kirby fell off of Wheelie, and re-inflated him with some air. The latter was better tempered  
after that, and rolled to the side so Kirby could figure out what the trouble was and put and   
end to it.  
  
"Who're you?" he asked, directing the question at the deep shadows of the forest. And out  
from the darkness walked casually a Waddle Dee. Kirby's eyes widened, having seen the capacity  
for mayhem that this little crimson ball posessed. The latter smiled with an evil edge, and   
gave the signal.   
  
Then the mayhem started. Chilly burst from the trees, cracking them apart with his   
ice breath, and blowing the freezing substance onto Wheelie, who wasn't able to get a word out  
before he was encased in ice. Waddle Doo leaped down from a protruding ledge, and started to   
attack Kirby with its concentrated beams, and in all the confusion, Rocky took the block of ice  
and sped away from the scene.  
  
It had all happened so quickly. Kirby was determined to protect his friend, that had helped  
him during a time of need, and he felt worthless: what had he allowed in return? the tire's   
capture. And now he was absolutely sure that Meta Knight would puncture Wheelie. This whole  
thought fueled him with a great hatred, and he fought almost blindly against Waddle Doo.  
  
"Ha, Kirby! I've got you where I want you!"  
  
"Not yet, cyclops!" the other answered as he dashed into him. Being one of the able sons of  
Kracko the Cloud, he was strong, and wouldn't let that small ball of fluff defeat him so easily.  
Recovering from the dash attack, he released a light waving beam that hit Kirby directly in the  
face.  
  
"Owwwww!" he screamed covering his face.  
  
"You're not that tough of a guy," taunted Waddle Doo, leaping into the air, forcing himself  
in a diagonal postion, and firing a blue ray that forced him back. Though blood didn't appear,  
anyone could see that Kirby was losing energy. "I've got...to.....swallow..him....."  
  
Kirby opened his mouth to inhale, and though Waddle Doo fought viciously against the suction,  
he was swallowed, and then spat out. This sole action of getting inhaled and spat out was so  
damaging that Waddle Doo had run out of energy, and was panting hard.  
  
"You---beat me..."  
  
"Yeah. Where'd Rocky take Wheelie?"  
  
"I'll get eaten before telling YOU!"  
  
"You're not worth it, Waddle. Where's he take him?"  
  
Kirby's valor wasn't enougb to daunt the enemy, and he shot three wide white beams, that  
clustered together to form an attack as large as two oddly colored Waddle Doos:   
Lololo and Lalala. The force hit with amazing impact, sending Kirby shooting backward and into  
the vast aquatic jaws of a monster known as the Orange Ocean.   
  
"Okay, Burnin' Leo, melt the ice!" ordered Rocky.  
"I'm meltin', I'm meltin'..." the fireball answered hotly, blowing a flashing burst of flame at the  
block of ice that imprisoned Wheelie. Rocky had obviously succeeded in reaching Meta Knight's   
stronghold, and now to expose the captured tire, commanded a blue, yellow, and red fireball, to  
undo what Chilly had done earlier. The latter lowered his head sadly, seeing all the brilliant  
sheets of ice melt away and become liquid again. He was want to freeze the sheets of metal,  
but decided against it. And it was good judgement for him to do so, because once Wheelie was   
defrosted, his first impulse would be to run over his captors.  
The ice quickly became threads of water, and trickled across the floor in little eddies. The  
peace was not to last, however, and when Wheelie's cage of ice was broken, he was not hesitant to  
smash himself against Rocky, who was thrown into the air, but not too stunned by the impact.  
"Look out, he's going wild!" warned Chilly, bouncing into the air, throwing his ice every   
which way, but failing to hit the target. Rocky recovered from the earlier blow and performed a  
tremendous leap to the top of the ceiling, and crashed down with smashing force, shaking the   
floor and wall, and forcing Wheelie on its side. In this position he was extremely vulnerable,  
but did not hesitate to keep running, and smashed sideways into the wlal, giving a jolt to  
all in the room. But that ended with a whirlwind of dust and air, that shot across the room with  
awesome rapidity. At once the minions were silent, and stood erect.  
Meta Knight strode into the room, hiw purple cape dragging on the floor, collecting dust and  
water from the previous fight. He glared with death in his eye at his hapless captive, and if   
he had not been wearing that mask, all would see him smile.  
"So...this is the Wheelie that prevented our victory!!"  
"You're damn right I am! If you try catchin' my folks again---"  
All the spunk and energy left him, at the sight of Meta Knight's lean sword. It was straight  
and narrow, like swords of chivalrous humans, though he was anything but that. Wheelie swallowed  
something uncomfortable in his throat, and kept his eyes on the menacing object, eyes not   
straying from it for a second. Why would his eyes flee from his looming death?  
The Orange Ocean's surf rumbled as it crashed against the shore. Jellyfish and goggled fish  
ruled its treacherous waters, as well as telephone-shaped creatures usually content at the sea   
floor. Brown, legless frogs would swim in diagonal patterns, completing the serene picture of   
this ocean.   
This was where Kirby had landed himself into, and was now floating face-up, but quickly   
turning the opposite way. Aquatic life ignored his presence, and swam by hurriedly, eager to   
feed. Only one being, not under water, not at its surface, but high amongst the clouds and cold.  
Kirby had many friends, including a hot-tempered bird named Dyna Blade. She was an oddly   
constructed fowl, splashed with the colors of the rainbow, but the sole hue of destruction   
controlling her eyes. Blue-white flames were what she spat onto the ground, and her neck   
protruded to the point of becoming a projectile that returned to its origin. Her talons could  
crush, as well as squeeze the life out of prey. But the most striking feature about her was her  
speed. Before an enemy even had a chance to hear her, she was upon the prey and tearing it apart.  
A violent nature, but parental. She kept several young with her, and they found motherly support  
on her wing.  
It was she that had spotted the pink ball inert in the ocean's clutch, and folded her wings,  
shooting down like a dropped bomb, securing Kirby in her talons, and soaring up again, just as  
a passing shark, foreign to those waters, clamped its jaws together, but finding nothing. The   
shark seemed to grumble, but found its lunch a few feet away from where it had lost the other.  
Fresh, cool water landed atop Kirby's face. He blinked his small eyes, and rubbed them   
instinctively. All memories and thoughts rushed back to him in a flood, and he shot his eyes   
upward. Dyna Blade was gone, but the gigantic feather that had fluttered from above had told him  
who had saved his life. Now he had to return the favor for his friend.  
  
END (for now)  
CQF? Here's another series, and I'm out of space. Notepad sucks. Sorry about the "half-format." Part 2 coming soon...Part 20 of you know what  
coming not soon.  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

Legal Stuff: Kirby, Wheelie, Meta Knight, and all characters, places,etc. relating to Kirby are copyright to Nintendo? and Hal something. Was it Laboratory? Or..something else? Oh, well. Ameteur, nonprofit,  
you know the rest. This is my second and my lamest attempt at anything so far, much less attempting a Kirby fanfiction. Here goes. By the way, any inconsistensies in plot? E-mail me at Blue9Tiger@aol.com  
started: 2/19/01 resumed: 4/17/01 finished: 4/19/01  
Rated: PG for mild profanity and violence.  
  
Revenge on Opacity  
  
by Blue9Tiger  
  
Chapter 2  
  
The various Plasma Wisp that were clustered in the open air parted as a pink ball of fluff overcame the blocks and the ladders that lay in his path. They normally would refrain from clinging to the shores of Orange Ocean, but were all driven out of caverns by spiked clouds. And it was futile to stand up to them, for not even the devestating Crash ability could deter it from its course. But the same was for Kirby, and he was determined to traverse all areas necessary until he had reached his archenemy.  
  
Having escaped the waves of Orange Ocean, the boy had reached an expanse of   
forest. Despite the balmy sunlight filtering through the branches, such forests were treacherous terrain, naturally stocked with black cannons, tiny yellow birds that could jump into its foes, leaving them dazed, an excessive amount of sucking flowers, not to mention the flying hens, that stayed on the ground from far away, but as soon as the enemy approached, they would take to the air and attempt an aerial assault. They usually attacked in pairs, or around other foes.   
  
Kirby dashed through the forest, collecting dropped food as he progressed. The intense sunlight did not bother him at all, a warm embracer of the both day and night. For he loved those orbs in the sky, but equally adored the peace of another vessel to take him across a river of dreams once the sun faded.  
  
As he rushed across the ground, leaping over cannonballs, hovering over deadly flora, and diving into the calculating hens, hostile eyes, or rather, eye was watching.   
  
...............................................................................................................................................  
"I have sent four of the strongest of Dreamland to combat Kirby outside of their territory. Until he is out of my sight permanently, what good is it to execute this foul-tongued Wheelie?"  
  
The helpless tire, sitll laying on his side, began to spin rapidly, his crimson eye flaring up into unbridled rage, though he was in no position to attack.  
  
"Who you callin' foul-tongued?! The way ya act matches your breath!"  
  
None of the minions dared to show amusement, but did not punish the offender, though Meta-Knight's pride had suffered a blow.  
  
"Enough with your insults: they're made of you: rubber! And rubber cannot hurt me!"  
  
Wheelie stopped spinning, and remained still, knowing that the blade could come any second. But it did not. He strode towards the exit of his lair, but before he could step outside, a weakened Simirror approached.  
  
"Greetings, dear sir! I bring you a-----"  
  
"Get to the point!"  
  
"Kirby has beaten Kracko and is coming this way!"  
  
"................ Rocky! Chilly! Inform my best soldiers of our situation."  
  
"The Poppy Brother's Senior?!"  
  
"NO! Chilly, you know who I'm talking about."  
  
The two minions, if they had visible mouths, would have smiled in anticipation, for their superior's best soldiers were virtual cutthroats. They were but loyal to Meta Knight, though to a certain extent, and able fighters, despite their attitude towards each other when things weren't going well. And when that happened, they were notorious for turning on each other in the wrong moment, and were capable of destroying their bonds. But nevertheless, they were hard to exhale and even harder to inhale, and to defend against Kirby's ability to do that was what Meta Knight hoped for.  
  
"Yessir."  
  
"The rest of you, initiate Halberd! And as for you.........." "We'll deal with you once we've reached three miles in the sky.....well beyond Kirby's flying range."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Near the zeinth the sun had risen, spreading its message of light across all of Dreamland, excpet the places, of course, where daylight was forbidden. That was where Kirby's sprint had taken him: into the zone of eternal starlight. But things were not in order, though the ball of fluff did not notice that things were amiss.  
  
"That fight was easy---now onto Meta Knight!"  
  
Kirby took to the air, his arms moving once and a while to keep afloat. As his body expanded, the pink boy ascended until he had reached the ceiling. He continued to hover, while moving fowards, but as he witnessed a far-off object, a fearful feeling set upon him. "Something's not right."  
  
"ENEMY SIGHTED."  
  
"Huh-----no way! I shut you down!"  
  
The enemy was barely visible: a set of unreachable and untouchable screens that hung itself in the jet black sky. Created without heart or soul, it's purpose was to destroy the enemy, and nothing could reverse that programming.  
  
"SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN REWIRED: I CAN CONTINUE REPRODUCTION IN ANY CONDITION."  
  
"Even if you're still up and running, I can beat Witch and Slime and Evil Knight!"  
  
The series of screens made no verbal response, but instead, collected data, interpreted it, and from that, formed a two-dimensional, electronically-created creature, that fell into Kirby's path. This was not one easily forgotten, and the other remembered that it was a combatant that he had vanquished long ago: the fearsome Red Dragon. However, valiant he was, Kirby defeated it easily. Finding himself up against it didn't seem to hold in itself a problem.........or did it? Red Dragon looked stronger than before, but Kirby could not identify what it was. "Something's different about Red........." Though the dreaded Computer Virus had no mouth to smile with, the screen was producing odd symbols, showing its excitement. It also recorded every step of the battle, which was repetitive, but granted each side an equal chance to attack, and was sure that Red Dragon would not lose.  
  
"RED DRAGON APPEARED. RED DRAGON ATTACKS."  
  
The creature spat out a blazing star, seeming to be on fire from the flames beneath its chest. The star grazed Kirby, who fell backwards, but quickly recovered. "KIRBY'S HURT! KIRBY ATTACKS."  
  
"You're not so tough!" he exclaimed, swallowing a nearby fat cat. He inhaled the massive amount of flesh in, and spat out the star, but to his dismay, Red Dragon turned completely around, using its tail to smack the star away. "Wait-----it wasn't hit by the star?"  
  
"KIRBY MISSED. RED DRAGON USED SCRATCH."  
  
The immense monster, using its claws, brought them down upon its enemy.   
"KIRBY'S HURT! KIRBY ATTACKS."  
  
"I---need...an Ability!"  
  
Kirby scanned about. There was no creature that held an ability, and Red Dragon was free to attack, and drooling fire. "Rocky.....Plasma Wisp.....Waddle Doo..Poppy Bros. Sr.!!!...any body!!!!"  
  
No one responded, not even an icon of the holders of those abilities. He began to despair, but that was when Red Dragon made its mistake.  
  
"RED DRAGON USED TAIL?"  
  
It swung its tail into Kirby, who was smashed against the wall, that freed up a Simirror icon. Though these weren't the actual creatures, coming into contact with them would grant Kirby that ability pictured on the icon, "KIRBY'S HURT. KIRBY LEARNED MIRROR! KIRBY ATTACKS."  
  
The other leaped up, waving his glass wand, smacking Red Dragon with transparent, but deadly shards. "500 DAMAGE TO RED DRAGON. RED DRAGON USED TEETH?"  
  
"Hey.....Computer Virus is getting confused!"  
  
"KIRBY ATTACKS. 1000 DAMAGE TO RED DRAGON. RED DRAGON USED-------ABILITY CANNOT BE INTERPRETED. WARNING! POSSIBLE OVERLOAD."  
  
"It's working!"  
  
Kirby pursued the strategy, and as Red Dragon readied itself to attack again, the pink ball floated into a miniature picture of Rocky. With this, he recieved the Stone ability, able to turn into a variety of statues. With a short jump, Kirby's fluffy skin hardened into a granite statue, pounding into Red Dragon's skull. Computer Virus sensed it immediately, as well as its' creations counter attack.  
  
"KIRBY ATTACKS. 2,000 DAMAGE TO RED DRAGON. RED DRAGON USED--ABILITY CANNOT BE INTERPRETED! OVERLOAD! OVERLOAD!"  
  
A blaring alarm resounded throughout the night, blowing away some of the sleepy monsters that donned nightcaps. As smoke poured out of its circuits, and all of its multiple screens blanked out, declared,  
  
" RED DRAGON WAS DEFEATED. YOU EARNED 5 HAPPY POINTS. YOU EARNED 12 ANGER POINTS. YOU EARNED 5 LOVE POINTS. YOU EARNED 15 COURAGE POINTS-----"  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Damn! Virus just conked out!"  
  
The speaker was a ferocious-looking monster, armed with a mace and armored in dark blue. With hollow pits for eyes, the unnamed soldier was an intimidating sight, and this was what his comrades were about: mercilessness through physical appearance. Though like ordinary Dreamland inhabitants in speech and thought, their strength was terrible.   
  
"How dare you speak such vile tones! You are Sir Meta Knight's corporal!"  
  
A second creature chastised the azure soldier. This second wielded an axe, and bore a skull mask. Admiring spectres and supernatural entities of the sort, he wore this mask of bone with pride, symbolizing his longing for silence.  
  
"Both of you........"  
Flinging the deadly axe towards the mace-spinner and the third creature, a round crimson object whose prime attack was leaping armed with a fork, and both ceased their quarrel. Their skull-faced superior took an officiating stance between them, and declared,  
"We didn't reach our level of esteem by fighting each other: it was by fighting---him!"  
  
Finding this kind of speech illuminating, the bouncing red creature suddenly burst into a metamorphic rhasphody of words, that the hostile blue monster did not care to be inundated by.   
  
"You are our palace of reason! Behold, corporal, this glorious general that--"  
  
"SHUT THE HELL UP!"  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
One of the most energetic areas of Dreamland were the volcanic caves. Deep underground, these pits of lava, planted on the floor or suspended from the ceiling. It was the last place to find a water-based enemy, but it was from an enemy that a deep bellow sounded, almost knocking Kirby into the lava beds.  
  
"BRrrrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmmm........"  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Brrrrrrrrmmmmmm....."  
  
An enormous monster of immense size and girth shoved his weight onto the steep incline that Kirby was perched upon, almost knocking him into the seething lava. It waved his massive fluke at him, at the same time flipping his pipe. The heat of the crimson layers of lava singed the pipe, creating a threatening fire, casting a fearful light on the opponent's face.  
  
"It's Fatty Whale------smarter?"   
  
"Brrrrrrrrmm......"  
  
The azure whale slammed his girth into the incline, loosing overhanging stones. They plunged down, one contacting with Kirby's small head. The crushing blow threw him backwards into the wall, as well as the heat leaving him dazed. Again Kirby saw the oncoming giant whale, flipping his pipe inside and out of a toothy jaw. Too disoriented to fight back, crouched down and Guarded his head. Smarter as he might have become, Fatty Whale dragged his white belly across the floor, crashing into Kirby, losing energy. Kirby kept in his crouched position, and his nemesis attempted another crawl, and was dealt the same damage. This continued again and again until he had no energy left, and his fluke smacking into the ground, fell. This last action threw Kirby into the opposite enviroment of crackling fire.  
  
"The ice zone! Maybe the Chillys know an exit!"  
  
Dashing, Kirby made his way across the slippery ice, encountering nothing but black cannons that idilly shot their projectiles at the wall, until he came into view. Changing the dirrection of the barrel, they would shoot at him, but hovering by the zealous cannons was enough to keep at full energy. This ice zone he traversed was home to the Dreamlander Chilly, a snowman of small stature, but whose frosty breath did in a second what a blizzard could accomplish in days. And it was these loners that the pink boy sought out, eager to find out where the nearest Warp Star or door was.  
  
He was about to jump over another quartet of cannons when he tripped on a lift. These vehicles were notorious for taking riders to an unwanted destination in a one-way fashion. It sped across the ice at a velocity and a distance that even Burnin' Leo couldn't attain, and once Kirby was on it, was not able to get off until he crashed into a ledge. Climbing the vertical platform, he spotted several Chillys, all shooting their deadly ice breath at a giant object in the center of the icicle-draped room. "What're they doing?"  
  
Kirby approached, sliding on the platform down into the room. He blinked for a moment at it's colossal size. It's ceiling was high and walls were spaced far apart, with a small rip in the ice at the far side of the cavern. In the center of the ice chamber stood a group of Chillys. Solitary by nature, this was rare for them, but it was not below them to collaborate for the good of their icy world. Placing a hand to his blinking eyes, Kirby could make out an enormous monster, with bulging eyes, fish-like jaw that protruded outwards between two rings. Yet, however comical the monster looked, Kirby had ascertained from previous battles that it's fists were forces to be reckoned with.   
  
"Wham Bam Rock.........in here?" the pink boy asked himself in wonder, his plain eyes roving the figure of his enemy being attacked by blasts of icy breath. Yet when Kirby approached, the Chillys all fled in terror. "What's the matter? Where's everyone going?"  
  
"It's too strong! You'll never beat it!"  
  
"One hard ass! If us Chillys can't take him down, you don't have much of a chance!"  
  
Kirby boxed his ears to the snowmen's pleading cries, and leaped towards the opponent. Glazed with ice but fully mobile, the former awaited its hands to show. Each enemy he encountered always developed a specific strategy, and never deviated from it until now. With this in mind, Kirby stood in front of the strange creature, and asked in a more cocky way than usual:.  
  
"Okay, Wham Bam Rock! Any new kick in that little attack of yours?"  
  
"Why......you've actually guessed right! Your reward........."  
  
To its opponent's shock and horror, Wham Bam Rock revealed both of its fists, made out of solid igneous rock, and crushed them to the ground. The ice-shaking movement whipped Kirby into the air, bringing him into the stalactite-lined ceiling, and down again, landing forcefully on the ice. He struggled back up in a second, but was smacked by the rocks falling from both the ceiling and floor. The ice broke apart as a quartet of rocks burst open the layer of ice that formed the ground, and a second cluster drove through the ceiling, smashing into Kirby's back, as Wham Bam Rock ended its statement: "........a painful death!"  
  
The boulders, roughened by a lack of weathering, pelted Kirby from all sides, rapidly reducing his energy. His efforts to inhale them were trampled, and each time his mouth opened a stone would cruelly shut it again. The cycle continued, as Wham Bam Rock now had complete control of its weapons, and it held its hands high rendering them unreachable. Seeing Kirby feel pain that its hands felt whenever he d rove a weapon into one of the stone fists, made it form its lips into an O shape. "Those Chilllys won't be coming back anytime soon!"  
  
"What-----makes-----you------say---that?" he demanded between rock assaults, that colored him from his usual pink to black and blue.   
  
"Forgive me, Kirby...you didn't' know that Chillys live on pure ice? Tainted with my fists, they fear the ice in this room! And caught in my rock carousel, you'll die---"  
  
Its short monologue was interrupted by a crumble of ice. Pouring into the room were that same pack of Wheelies that Kirby had saved from Parasol W. Dee. Charging through in a mass, they cracked the wall open, the slower ones bringing with them Chillys. Wheelies and Chillys filled the room in one rapid motion, and the leader grabbed Kirby from the clutches of Wham Bam Rock's carousel, and the Wheelies under them ramming into its fists with a deadly spring. An explosion of rock tore a hole through the cavern wall, and Kirby, Chilly, and the Wheelie pack burst through into daylight.   
  
"You were 'gonna be flattened! Lucky thing you saved us first!"  
  
"Th-thanks," he answered, standing up on wobbling feet. The fight had left him spent and drained, and was about to collapse onto the ground when an old Wheelie offered him one of the rarer foods: Max Tomato.   
  
"Here ya go.....better eat it up before they see it," the tire answered, motioning to a score of the younger, inflated Wheelies who were eyeing Kirby's Max Tomato.   
  
"Thanks again.....but why save me? You keep to yourself, don't you?"  
  
"Yeah.....but it's good to do good once in while..besides..you got to save him!"  
  
Even feeling restored and new again, Kirby blinked his eyes at the word "him". Other Wheelies crowded around, glaring him down for not remembering his essential mission.   
  
"Oh! Right! Wheelie! I'm coming!"  
  
With that reassurance, the Wheelie pack gathered on a hill, seeing Kirby off. He slid down a steep dust-lined incline, and finally reaching a flat surface, looked ahead. At first, he blamed his eyes for being deceptive, but then focused again, jaw dropping.  
Not far from where he was standing, completely restored to the last detail, was Meta-Knight's feared airship: the Halberd.   
  
"No! I sank that thing! With.........Wheelie........"  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"What the hell's he standing there for?! C'mon, Kirby, get in here!" yelped the crimson-eyed Wheelie, still in a vulnerable position on his side. Unable to perspire, his wheel rotated rapidly, bringing dust upwards from the floor. A cough erupted from Wheelie's antagonist, and between the fits of coughing, the latter ordered,  
  
"Take off, Waddle Dee."  
  
"B--but, Sir Meta Knight....won't Kirby try to float up here?"  
  
"I have that problem rectified. Now.....take off!"  
  
"Y-yes, S-sir Meta Knight!"  
  
Dashing to the controls with parasol behind him, the tiny blue-capped Waddle Dee threw the various switches and levers working the primary engine, pressed assorted buttons, turned several dials, and finally activated the main control, and the enormous bronze-hued vehicle lifted off the ground.  
  
"Heyyyyyy! Wait up!" called Kirby, springing into the air, but roughly brought back down, smashing into the dirt. "What the---?" the pink ball of fluff queried, rubbing the dust from his eyes. His assailiant leaped backwards to rejoin his comrades, and squinting a bit to avoid the golden sun's hostile glare, could define three shapes. "Oh, no........not you three again! I thought you were mercenaries! And Meta Knight doesn't have that much money, only resources!"  
  
"Enough with talk, fluffy! It's not any business of yours who we work for!"  
  
"We work for whoever has loose ends to kill," the skull answered, brandishing his already razor-sharp axe, whose wide blade gleamed in the mocking sunlight. However, their battle was stalled with the blue one again, whose main goal was to instigate a conflict between their trio.  
  
"Hey, skull-head, I thought I told him it's not any of his business!"  
  
"How would you like that mace of yours implanted in your face?"  
  
"Why argue again, general? It is Kirby that stands in way of our designs," answered the red one, peaceful wth fork flipping in the air. With that in mind, the three regained their goal.  
  
All three leaped for him, crushing their heavy bodies onto his small frame. Dashing, this time the more mobile combatant there was able to slip out of their weapon's assaults, and he opened his mouth to inhale. A loud high-pitched air flow started, and the fork-armed bouncing ball was sucked in, and spat out again to land in the vulnerable face of the mace-weilder.  
  
"Aghhh!!"  
  
"Alright, as Meta Knight's soldiers, it's OUR duty to shut Kirby down!"  
  
Upon hearing this, the pink boy retreated slowly, his eyes still fixed on his enemies. "ATTACK!"  
All at once, a fork, axe, and mace was flung at the target, all three hitting their mark, and the fork pinning him to the dusty earth, that clouded around him as the two other weapons rained on him.  
  
"Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!"  
  
The deadly trio charged again, this time using their own brute strength. But now Kirby no longer felt blows. Crushed to the ground he felt helpless, helpless to get back up again, much less saving Wheelie from the sword. Yet.....how could he come so far and waste it all by admitting defeat? It was not in his nature, or any of his kin's nature, to do that. But getting up again was colossal under the weight of the blows. Then he thought back to Dyna Blade. The reason that he was still alive was that she did not submit to destiny. That fact filled him with another sort of energy, increased his health, and as the axe fell, the skull-faced assailant felt it being knocked from his grip, and then a sharp blow to his head from a swallowed star, forcing him backwards into a nearby cliff, where by chance, a Crash was waiting to detonate.   
  
"One vs. two, now........."  
  
An explosion that eliminated the skull-headed minion reached far enough to knock the smallest of the trio, and as the mace swung overhead, as Kirby slid foward in the manner of a kick, knocking the opponent off-balance, and into the scarlet fork-holder. WIth their defeat, he was filled with renewed energy, despite a low energy bar, and floated upwards into the lightening sky, only clouded with the portentous airship.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Now with that blasted boy out of my way and out of my life, I can concentrate on......you..."  
  
A hollow glare shrank the defenseless tire, lying flat on the metallic floor. The violet-caped creature unsheathed his sword, running the flat of the blade over Wheelie's smooth surface. Now faced with each other, Meta Knight detected a weakness in the young Wheelie. Instead of the knobby surface of seasoned tires, as on mountain bikes, smooth wheels of touring bikes, and thus easier to pierce.   
  
Gloating was a mistake that many of the conquering side made, but was a fault that Meta Knight was free of. With little ceremony or celebration, he raised his lean weapon above his head, poised to strike. Behind him, Waddle Dee continued to mop the floor, trying to hide himself under his hat. Death in Dreamland was a rare, but feared thing, as it was the cessation of dreams and the start of an undiscovered void. Death, many Dreamlanders felt, was the final nightmare.  
  
But this "nightmare" was not come to pass, as a boomerang-like cutter sliced evenly through the sky, ripping the sword out of his grasp. Immediately he recognized the style of throwing, and his hidden pair of white eyes shifted. "Kirby......you lived."  
  
"That's right, Meta! Now free Wheelie!"  
As the cutter returned, he caught it in his pink hand, and faced his enemy with unrelenting eyes. "Or die!"  
  
"Valiant effort, boy, I should congratulate you. But a pity your corpse won't be able to hear!"  
  
With that, he executed a flip in the air, his cape slowing down his high jump, and grabbed his sword. A sharp swing of it sent his enemy spinning, and smacking into the metallic wall. As Kirby struggled to regain his senses, the other combatant barked an order to Waddle Dee. "In twenty seconds Halberd will be destroyed....Twin Cannon will fire on it, causing the Reactor to blow up, and sending a chain reaction that will destroy this ship from the inside-out."  
  
"Wheelie......get out of here!"  
  
"Wh..---what 'bout ya?"  
  
"I'll take care of him! Roll!"  
  
"It ain't happenin', fluff. If you die on this flyin' bucket of bolts, I'm dyin' too!"  
  
A thoughtful, resolved light appeared in the tire's flashing eye, and as Meta Knight thrusted the sword downwards, Kirby jumped from the wall, landing in the saddle. Now with this firm resolve, they desperately tried to ignore the countdown Rocky was shouting at the other end of the room.  
  
"Twenty, nineteen, eighteen......"  
  
"DIE, KIRBY!"  
  
A force like a cyclone tore through the room, whirling both Kirby and Wheelie upwards. Landing on their side, Kirby jolted them erect again, and charged into Meta Knight, who was thrown off balance, his cape rolling onto his masked visage.  
  
"...fifteen, fourteen, thirteen....."  
  
An internal explosion forced the three of them on the left wing, surrounded by a gathered crowd of tan-hued beam-shooters. Rocky followed them dragging himself towrds the action, continuing the countdown. The three combatants continued the fight, attacking and defending, each equalling the damage. "Ten, nine, eight....."  
  
Now all three of their energy had depleted into almost nothing, and debris flying every which way threatened to break their concentration. Kirby exhaled with difficulty, and his opponent was spread onto the floor. One more hit would kill either. Rocky's voice became farther and farther away with the din of falling metal. "Six, five, four....."  
  
"Now or never....."  
  
"Meet your end....."  
  
In the same instant, Kirby and Wheelie charged foward, as Meta Knight swung the blade, puncturing the latter. A piercing scream sent all three of them off of the wing, the purple commander plummeting down the right side, and Kirby and Wheelie plunging off the left. The fate of all three, in this way, remained unbeknownst to the opposing side.  
But as for the rest of the ones on board, their grisly fate was told by the final explosion that shook Dreamland through its very foundation.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
A soothing caw brought Kirby to consciousness. Above him towereed Dyna Blade, her color-splashed face bright with her day's work. The tiny boy managed a smile towards twice whom he owed his life to, and waved farewell as she lifted off into the wild skies again, her form, akin to a rainbow, melting with all the colors of the Orange Ocean sky. But then this moment of tranquility was shattered as he looked down at his shoes.   
  
"Wheelie!!!!!"  
  
There on the barren ground, with the sky mocking the poor tire as he lay, was Wheelie, and a hole of considerable size ripped through the rubber. Kirby immediately picked him up, exhaling as much air into him, but a flash of that red eye warded him away.  
  
"Don't......... make sucha...... deal 'outta it..."  
  
Kirby could feel tears in his exhausted, and now saddened eyes. He didn't attempt to rub them away, as if the water might fill Wheelie with the oxygen combined in its structure. But nothing changed in its shriveled form. "Why're ya.....cryin'?" he snapped in a deteriorating breath.  
  
"Kirbys say...that once you die, you can't dream anymore. And...born here, I've always liked dreams. Dreams are a part of me.....how about you?"  
  
"You're talkin'......... some serious shit.......Dreams? What do Wheelies............got......to........dream....'bout?"   
  
"Maybe...now your family'll have good dreams, because Meta Knight won't try to hurt them again."  
  
"For a fluff.....not...half.....bad.......thanks....now.....they're.....safe.....'cause 'a....."  
  
".....me. But I couldn't even save him......"  
  
Kirby finished with lowered head, pondering what went wrong as well as how he would explain this to the Wheelie clan, but first and foremost in his mind the tire itself, and reverently picked up the deflated Wheelie. Staring at his now shut eye, the blinds of his eye forever drawn with perpetual sleep, he buried him near a wrecked chunk of Halberd: the dilapidated left wing. And unknown to him, beside Waddle Dee's torn parasol. There lay all the victims, because of one thing's ambition to seek revenge on opacity.  
  
END  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
CQF?: Thanks for reading the fic. Please send feedback: weird, depressing, stupid, whatever. As long as you have a legit reason for what you say, send it over. I originally had intended to make it a bit lighter, but here was my chance to write a light to dark Kirby fic (give or take a few shades). Fic forecast: ATRRG Part 22 Chapter 213 is in the works. (sweat) That's all for now. Till then, this is Blue9Tiger, signing off.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
